Featured Interview With L. L. Nelson

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I’m a former librarian who has always loved books and escaping into new worlds or back into the past. Libraries & museums were always magical places for me growing up (and they continue to be). I grew up in Virginia surrounded by history, but I’ve lived all over the United States. Every place I’ve lived, I always try and visit the libraries, museums, and other local cultural places. Visiting those places usually leaves me inspired for a new novel. Currently though, I live in California and while my family doesn’t have any pets yet, my children beg me for one every day!

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
I’ve loved books since before I could read. As far back as I can remember, I’d hid in my closet with stacks of picture books or art books and just imagine stories about the people and places I was looking at. The first story I ever wrote was a short little story (only a few lines long) about Simba and Nala from the Lion King playing together. But I first started writing stories of my own when I was about 11. I wrote a weird little historical romance fantasy, loosely based on places I’d visited in Virginia, Romeo and Juliet, and the power of love, lol. It wasn’t very long, but I loved it.
Those threads of historical fiction, romance, and fantasy are still with me today in almost all of my stories.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I have a wide variety of authors and genres that I enjoy reading. A shorter list would be what I don’t read (basically horror & dark (insert genre), but that’s it). Growing up and even more recently, I read a lot of books from authors like Madeleine L’Engle, Tamora Pierce, Rick Riordan, and even Diana Gabaldon.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
My upcoming book is called Modern Day Muses and it is the second book in the Tempus Viatores time travel series. The main characters Alexandra and Titus have survived the events of the first book in the series (Priestess of Herculaneum) and traveled back to Washington D.C. circa 2009. There, they are adjusting to their new lives—Alex as a time traveler and Titus as a Roman man thrust almost 2000 years into the future and far from his native Italy. However, Fortuna Atrox, the immortal they escaped in the first book, is still hunting them, determined to have her revenge. While the series is mainly historical fiction, this book is more contemporary and has more magical realism in it, as Alex and Titus explore a world where many of the myths and lore of the past are very much real.
This book took a little bit longer to write than the first one, probably about 3-4 months, mainly because mental health issues and the fact that I don’t usually write books set in the 21st century.

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L. L. Nelson’s Website

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Featured Interview With Melissa Fowke

Tell us a little about yourself. Where were you raised? Where do you live now?
I was raised in Southern California. My love for the ocean and the weather here is something I am so thankful for when my parents came here to start a life from Scotland. I currently live in Huntington Beach, with my soulmate husband and 3 pets. 🙂 We have two cats and one soon to be 20 year old dog! Writing about Lucy, named after my mother as a child, and her love for her wee kitten was so easy, as I have always loved animals.

At what age did you realize your fascination with books? When did you start writing?
My fascination with books started when I used to pretend help my mother, who was an English Teacher, with correcting her students papers. Of course I was a wee one, and just played pretend; however, I loved imagining reading all the books she assigned her classes and eventually did when I was old enough to read. Reading relaxes me, takes me to another world, and soothes me.

Who are your favorite authors to read? What is your favorite genre to read. Who Inspires you in your writings?
I love mysteries, historical period novels, detective series, suspense novels (LT Ryan, Dean Koontz, Faye Kellerman to name a few). I do tend to go towards historical period novels and detective series. My inspiration to write a children’s book were my parents who have both passed. I wanted to keep their memory alive in some way. My memories from trips to Scotland when I was young and their many stories inspired me. I also feel there is a lack of age appropriate children’s books today. I wanted the children in my life to experience the innocence and imagination of the books I grew up with.

Tell us a little about your latest book?
Lovable Lucy came to life in a period of a year. She was always in my mind after my mother passed; however, she came to fruition with the encouragement of my loving husband egging me on to create my dream and put it on paper. Lucy, a sweet, lovable, wee girl in Scotland finds a kitten in her garden. She is troubled about whether to tell her parents, as she wants to prove she can take care of the wee kitten. Her best friend, Johnny (inspired by my father), helps her in her quest. The story takes some twists and turns and eventually the reader is taught a valuable life lesson and is left with a good feeling of family and love.

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Melissa Fowke’s Website

Melissa Fowke Twitter Account